DigitalNC: North Carolina's Digital Heritage

Background

World War II had raged on for two years when Japanese forces unexpectedly attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. While the United States had remained a neutral force during the early years of the war, it was the attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the nation, and North Carolina, into the conflict.

Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States prepared itself for potential hostilities. On September 18, 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Selective Training and Service Act. This law, better known as the “draft,” required American men between the ages of 21 and 35 to register for military service. Around 362,500 people from North Carolina served in the war, most of whom were drafted. 69,000 of that number were Black North Carolinians, along with 7,000 North Carolinian women. The United States also prepared for war by building and expanding military bases, particularly in North Carolina. Already-established installations like Fort Bragg experienced rapid growth in both construction and population. The expansion of sites like Fort Bragg made North Carolina the top state in training the most military personnel during World War II. 

While American soldiers trained in military bases and began to join in the fighting overseas, regular citizens had to adjust to a new life at home. War led to substantial changes in the economy and in everyday life for North Carolinians. The scarcity of certain goods, like sugar, caused the government to force citizens to ration. Factories and textile mills across North Carolina also experienced change as they shifted to producing materials for the war. Many of the workers in these factories were women, who increasingly joined the workforce to fill the positions left behind by men who were drafted or enlisted in the armed forces. Though rationing and increased production aided the war effort, the United States continued to seek out support for their military by promoting and selling war bonds to citizens. 

Four years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the war came to an end. United States forces used two atomic bombs to attack the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August of 1945. Japan officially surrendered soon after, marking the end of the war on September 2, 1945. Although the conflict was over, World War II made a lasting impact on North Carolina. The primary sources in this collection demonstrate the social and economic effects of the Second World War on the state and exhibit some of the contributions that North Carolinians made to the war effort.